Dominic Genetti: My 'American Pie' theory

Everyone has a theory when it comes to the classic Don McClean hit "American Pie."

Dominic Genetti

Everyone has a theory when it comes to the classic Don McClean hit "American Pie."

There are interpretations, there are hints and there are flat-out theories that require a lot of time and research just so they can be proven.

Well after hearing it on the radio recently and downloading the song from iTunes this week, I figured I'd jump in with my own theory.

Now, unlike examining the whole song, my theory goes along with the obvious and the final verses.

The song clearly surrounds Feb. 3, 1959, when Rock 'n Roll pioneers Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper (J.P. Richardson) were killed in a plane crash. Hence the lyrics: "But February made me shiver with every paper I'd deliver." Also, since the song came out, Feb. 3, 1959, has been known as "The Day The Music Died."

Obviously the song embraces the three singers and how Rock 'n Roll was never the same after their untimely deaths in the frozen Clear Lake, Iowa, corn field. Even as the song goes on there are several references to the singers, Holly for the most part, but still they're there.

My theory has to do with one of the song's final verses: "And the three men I admire most, the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost, they caught the last train for the coast. The day the music died."

Now I've taken a look a lot of the proposals out there folks have deduced from these lyrics. Some say this, some say that, but what I noticed no one did was look at history and the events following the historic plane crash. Doing so shows that those lyrics pay homage to Ritchie Valens.

"And the three men I admire most, the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost, they caught the last train for the coast..."

The Father, Son and the Holy Ghost (or spirit) is the sign of the cross in the Catholic faith. Ritchie Valens was Catholic. Holly and The Big Bopper were not.

After the bodies of Holly and The Big Bopper were prepared by a local funeral home, they were flown back to Texas. Holly was sent to Lubbock, The Bopper was sent to Beaumont. Ritchie Valens, however, was sent by train back to California.

Where is California? On the coast.

If you ask me there's a perfect circle of references to the singers in the song.

Now there are other things I've thought of too, but they're more of stretch.

The Father, Son and The Holy Ghost could also refer to Holly, Valens and the Bopper. The sun sets on the coast and a thought of the ascension to heaven would be towards the sun. The father would refer to Richardson because he was the oldest of the three, 28, and had a young daughter and baby son on the way at the time of the crash. The son is Valens. He was only 17 when he died and was very close to his family. Finally the holy ghost, in more of a sense of high honor, not spiritually, would be Holly. Of the three singers, he had the most success and is still worshipped in the music business on a high level to this day.

The truth behind it all with this classic tune will probably never be revealed. It's all left open for many to make their guesses.

If anything comes out of the song, those who admire Rock 'n Roll know that the music did not die in an Iowa cornfield. Buddy, Ritchie and The Bopper are gone, but when you look at the inspirations they've given to many of those successful in the industry today, they, and their music, are very much alive.